Fragments' side story (of course you don't have to read it to understand what's happening in this side story).

Pairing : Riko x Hyuuga.

Written in the third person. The words in italic are characters' thoughts and the words written like this are said in another language (french or english).

Disclaimer : I don't own anything except my OC !

[FRAGMENTS SIDE STORY 1]

OB(LI)VIOUS

~.~

"Izuki-senpai."

Shun looked at the girl in front of him curiously. She seemed to be about to ask something "Is there anything I can do for you, Masuko-chan ?"

"Does Riko-san know about Hyuuga-senpai's crush on her ?"

He blinked once, then twice. He did not expect this. He thought she wanted to ask something to him something related to basketball, because she just came back and wanted to catch up as their Manager but got instead a question about Coach and Hyuuga. She didn't even ask if Hyuuga had a crush on her but if she knew about about his crush. He sighed. Hyuuga was just so painfully obvious, and Coach painfully oblivious.

"I think everybody knows except her."

"I see. And does Hyuuga-senpai know how apparent his feelings for her are ?"

"I don't think so or he'll be hiding somewhere or screaming at us to shut it up." He saw her making a thoughtful face and asked, "Why are you asking this, Masuko-chan ?"

"Because when Izuki-senpai wasn't here for the tactical meeting, Hyuuga-senpai was spending half of the time looking at her whenever she was talking." The tactical meetings... Thankfully Masuko was now part of these meetings (along with Hyuuga as Captain, Coach and him as vice-Captain) because the same happened. Him looking at her. "He stopped for a few minutes when he saw I noticed but continued after. It got tiring at one point and I excused myself and went home with Taiga." At least, Hyuuga stopped for the rest of the meeting when he was the one to notice.

But it was tiring, indeed.

If there was one word to describe both of their attitude towards each other, it would be tiring.

Listening to Hyuuga's incessant words about going to Aida Sports Gym every night during middle school had been tiring. Seeing Coach's bitterness over basketball after Hyuuga gave up on basketball had been tiring. Looking at their exchange outside of the court (especially during the meetings) was tiring... He didn't even have a word to describe the many failed attempt of love confession from Hyuuga.

So yes, it was really, really tiring.

"Do you think something could happen if we somehow escape from the next tactical meeting ?"

He was so desparate that he thought whatever they would do could advance things between them. "We could always try... Wait, do you know about the oath we made ?"

Masuko-chan just came here two months ago and Kagami wasn't the type to talk about things like that (he probably didn't even care) "No, what is it ?"

"It's like a tradition now but if we don't won the championship by the end of the year, then she will make us... confess to a girl... naked."

"Oh." She probably understood better why Hyuuga was acting this way everytime she said the words 'winter', 'winning' and 'losing'... "I hope it apply to the players only."

... Or not.

Junpei sighed. "I can't believe both of them ditched us today." He got a bad feeling about this. Masuko had this face she was doing everytime she had something in mind, like Kiyoshi... Except she looked less stupid. Nobody could look as dumb as Kiyoshi.

"Don't be so grumpy Hyuuga-kun, both of them had a good reason not to come for today's meeting."

Masuko said she had her usual check at the hospital. Okay, that was credible enough. And Izuki said something about family dinner. His serious face made it ironically not so credible because... because it was Izuki. Of course he was smart and a good strategist (not that he would praise him outloud or he was sure he would get annoying puns again) but Izuki sucked at lying like he sucked at puns.

"If you say so..."

His doubt was apparently obvious. "Come on Hyuuga-kun, are you unhappy about spending time alone with me ?", she said.

He realized what she just said et shook his head replying quicky, "N – no of course not !"

"You're not being convincing at all, Hyuuga-kun", she was now pouting and he tried to find something to defend himself.

"I enjoy spending time with you !" What did he just say ? He looked away and finished sheepishly, "well you know, as Captain of the team and all..." If he kept going like that, he would end up like Kiyoshi or Kuroko, telling embarrassing things outloud everytime they could.

Riko made a weird face and he thought for a few seconds she was going to hit him on the head or something before she said "Let's talk about the training camp, Captain !"

"Of cou – Wait what ?"

"Well the summer training camp of course, we did it last year and we're doing it again !"

He had a mixed memory about that training camp. To be honest, everything was cool (though he threw up once and twice after the hellish daily training they had) but the food. HER food. It was better not to think about it or he would throw up and this time it wouldn't be because of training.

"Right..."

"Be more enthusiastic Hyuuga-kun ! You all need to become better or... You'll have a very cold winter", she ended while giggling and making him scared as shit. There was seriously wrong with him for lov – appreciating someone so sadistic (because each member of the team knew she would make them confess naked). He called the smile she was making the 'we're gonna die' smile.

"We'll talk about the budget once we'll choose where to go."

It would probably be harder to find somewhere, now that they were more than last year but Riko was more than smart enough and Izuki, as their Vice-Captain and accountant would manage to find something with Masuko – though Riko told him she had a weird aversion for math –

"Sure. What did you plan for our training ?"

"You see, I want to strengthen everyone's basics and..."

She talked for fifteen minutes about how they were going to be tortured during summer holidays and he thought that it might be the perfect moment to confess. Or was it ? Well, there wasn't any of these idiots and they were alone. But how would she react ? And what would she answer ? And –

"...With of all this, we'll win the Winter Cup !"

The Winter Cup !

"Of course." He loved her smile. Not the 'we're gonna die' smile of course, but the one she had whenever she thought about winning a national competition. She was like a conqueror. She would conquer Japan and he, as his general would do his best to help her leading Seirin to victory. And maybe he would see an even brighter smile than the one she had now... and maybe, just maybe he would feel worthy enough to confess.

That was it. He decided he would confess to her if they won the Winter Cup. He would rather not think about what would happen if they wouldn't win.

"Why was Hyuuga-senpai making such strange facial expressions ?"

That was it. Shun was so done with Hyuuga, he was hopeless. He couldn't believe they looked at Hyuuga and Riko during all this time for this, meaning nothing. "That's what he does everytime they're alone, when he wants to confess..."

"... But failed, I understand. But there might be hope."

He saw the face Coach made after Hyuuga made that awkward declaration about enjoying spending time with her. It wasn't unrequited at least although she might was unware about her own feeling for him. "You're right. He might do it after the Winter Cup !"

"But if we don't –"

"Don't say it !" He couldn't even think about the possible disaster.

"At least, we'll have another reason to win the Winter Cup...", he chuckled before Masuko finished with "... But before that, it seems we'll have summer training camp ! Isn't it amazing, Izuki-senpai ?"

He didn't even have the strengh to tell her about Coach's cooking. Coach and Captain were going to kill not only him but the team one day and apparently, that day was close.

A/N: If you're reading Fragments, then know this side story takes place between chapter 9 and chapter 10 (and if you're curious about Masuko, you can read the main story... chapter 10 will be published in a few days). Anyway, hope you enjoyed reading it ! It's such a shame there are not more Hyuuga and Riko stories/one-shot because they're really cute.

Funny fact: Izuki truly is Seirin's accountant, like mentioned in one of the chapter of knb replace.